How do I rebuild trust after being cheated on?

Rebuilding trust after infidelity is one of the most challenging relationship tasks and requires commitment from both partners, though the primary responsibility lies with the person who cheated. Trust is rebuilt through consistent actions over time, not just words or promises. The cheating partner must take full accountability for their actions without making excuses, blaming their partner, or minimizing the impact of their betrayal. They need to be completely transparent about their activities, whereabouts, and communications, often including sharing passwords and being open about their schedule. This transparency should continue until trust is genuinely rebuilt, which typically takes much longer than most people expect - often 1-2 years or more. The person who was cheated on needs space to process their emotions, which may include anger, sadness, confusion, and Psychological trauma responses. These feelings are normal and valid, and healing cannot be rushed. Both partners need to understand that rebuilding trust is a process with ups and downs, not a linear progression. The cheating partner must be patient with their partner's need for reassurance and understand that trust will be fragile for a long time. Professional counseling is often essential for navigating this process, as it provides tools for relationship health/improving-communication" class="internal-link">communication skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Communication, processing Psychological trauma, and rebuilding intimacy safely. The couple needs to address the underlying issues that contributed to the infidelity, which might include interpersonal relationships/improving-communication" class="internal-link">communication skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Communication problems, unmet needs, or individual issues like addiction or mental health concerns. It's important to recognize that not all Interpersonal relationship can or should survive infidelity. Sometimes the damage is too extensive, or one partner cannot move past the betrayal despite genuine efforts. Deciding whether to work on the relationship or end it is deeply personal and depends on many factors including the nature of the infidelity, the cheating partner's response, and both people's capacity for healing and forgiveness.